Data & Information Sharing

why share information?

Sharing information on the education of children in out-of-home care improves their educational outcomes. The information we gather and share across the child welfare, education, and court systems allows us to:

Publications

Data is key to improve school outcomes for children in care. On March 26, 2015, the Legal Center held a roundtable to share the latest information on data, research, and policy on education for child welfare-involved youth. This summary shares themes from that meeting in three areas: existing research strengths and gaps, proposed changes to Adoption and Foster Care Analysis System (AFCARS) relating to education, and policy opportunities.

This How-To Guide is divided into two sections: a Manual and Tools. The Manual provides details on relevant legal and policy considerations, as well as examples from around the country engaging in this important work. The Tools provide checklists to guide education and child welfare agencies in collaboration.

This brief describes the barriers to educational success that children in foster care often face, and how a new amendment to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) makes it easier for child welfare agencies to collaborate with schools to eliminate these barriers for children in foster care.